Samantha Lax soprano

Praised for her winning voice and scene-stealing charm, Samantha Lax has performed with St. Petersburg Opera, OperaDelaware, Light Opera of New Jersey, Bronx Opera, OperaBaltimore, Indianapolis Opera, and more. She has participated in reimagining and premiering contemporary works by Jake Heggie (Dead Man Walking), Gilda Lyons (A New Kind of Fallout), Richard Auldon Clark (Happy Birthday, Wanda June), and created the role of Maria Bertram in the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park. 

Samantha has been the soprano soloist for many choral masterworks including Fauré’s Requiem, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Rutter’s Gloria and Requiem, Mozart’s Dominican Vespers, Poulenc’s Gloria, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Handel’s Messiah. She holds her Master of Music from New England Conservatory and her Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College.

Mia Farinelli alto

Mia Farinelli is a Master’s student at the Mannes School of Music studying with Wendy Bryn Harmer. Recognized for her passion for culturally informed storytelling, she brings a distinctive voice to both operatic and contemporary performance. Farinelli is also an accomplished choral singer, workshopping and performing new works with ensembles like Berkshire Choral International, Downtown Voices, Choral Chameleon, and International Orange Chorale.

Beyond the stage, Farinelli is a certified learning and development professional, facilitator, and coach, with extensive experience training executives in leadership, problem-solving, and communication. She is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of artists and professionals, drawing on her expertise in adult education and business acumen to help emerging creatives build meaningful and sustainable careers.



Jillian LeBel alto

Jillian LeBel is a Master’s student at the Mannes School of Music studying with Margaret Lattimore. She is praised for her commanding and energetic stage presence. LeBel specializes in contemporary opera and has worked with Wolf Trap Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Mannes Opera and Ithaca College on workshopping new pieces. She has appeared on stage with Janiec Opera Company, Mannes Opera, Opera Ithaca, Trentino Music Festival, Harrower Opera and Ithaca College MainStage.

Jillian has also performed in choral groups including Staten Island Episcopal Choir, Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, Ithaca College Choir, St. Paul Methodist of Ithaca, and Brevard Music Center Choir. Beyond classical work, she regularly performs musical theatre and has had the special opportunity of performing with Patti LuPone. Along with this, LeBel performs solo jazz, and enjoys playing the flute and saxophone.

Chad Kranak Tenor

Praised by Opera News for his "lyrical eloquence and attractive lyric sound," Armenian-American tenor Chad Kranak enjoys a distinguished career spanning opera, concert, and contemporary repertoire. His operatic appearances have included Cavaradossi (Tosca), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Don José (Carmen), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), Bacchus (Ariadne auf Naxos), and Paulo in Rachmaninoff's Francesca da Rimini. Recent and forthcoming engagements include Tybalt in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with Park City Opera and the tenor solo in Mozart's Missa Brevis in F major and Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living at Carnegie Hall.

A sought-after concert soloist, Chad has appeared at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in a broad repertoire ranging from Bach, Handel, and Mozart to Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. Highlights include Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Bach Cantata 153, and Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil. An enthusiastic champion of new music, he has also given premières of works by Thea Musgrave, Alex Weiser, Trevor Weston, Paula Kimper, and Mark Hayes.

Michael Alworth bass

Known for his “commanding vocal and physical presence” onstage, Michael J. Alworth is a sought-after oratorio musician, recently performing as the bass soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Dominican Vespers, Verdi’s Requiem, Haydn’s Paukenmesse and Lord Nelson Mass, Handel’s Messiah, Brahm’s Ein Deutches Requiem, and Faure’s Requiem. A highly in-demand choral singer, Michael has performed with choirs throughout New Jersey and New York, including Continuo Arts Foundation, New Jersey Conservatory, Skylands Chorale, and most recently Oratorio Society of New Jersey among many other church and unnamed groups. Additionally, he is a member of several professional choral ensembles including Qara, Evocare, Mid Atlantic Chamber Ensemble, and Vocala. He is proud to be the Artistic Director and founder of North Jersey Classical Voices, a music organization based out of Mountain Lakes, NJ. Michael holds his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Montclair State University.